Pharmacy SusNet event: Return and Reuse of Medicines

Sustainable Pharmacy Network Event:

Return and reuse of medicines - reducing our waste, cost and carbon impact

Medicines waste in the NHS is an ongoing issue, costing our health service hundreds of millions of pounds each year. We know wastage of medicines is also a huge waste of resource – staffing time, facilities and the carbon required for the manufacture, packing and delivery of these products.

At King’s College Hospital, the return and re-use of medicines scheme has allowed staff to understand the impact of this wastage and how to reduce it; and to realise the advantages of re-use, including cost improvement programme schemes, additional staffing time and environmental benefits.

Laura Stevenson, Associate Chief Pharmacist for Aseptic Services and Medicines Sustainability Lead at King's College Hospital NHSFT, will present an insight into the work undertaken by her trust to reuse medicines and reduce medicines waste.